The Other

(Honest Don’s)
by Rich Romaine

By the middle of the lead off track, “Haight Street Girl,” it’s pretty obvious you aren’t listening to just another melodic punk band on one of the many labels raping the profits from a glutted market. The Other is special, distinctive in a way that, when stated, sounds like it could totally suck if it weren’t done right. Luckily, it is. The Other combine a damn good understanding of punk with an appreciation of, ya know, rock. The opening chords are reminiscent of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” kick into something similar to Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice” (but with Rush-esque drumming and bass licks), then follows with an “Ahh, Ahhh” chorus. From there, verses, choruses, sub-choruses, and bridges all spark various near-forgotten rock memories, while never actually being derivative themselves. It’s important to realize this is a punk band (one that could make the word mean something again, if you’ll excuse my foul mood), yet one that doesn’t follow the traditional punk formats. A little Jane’s Addiction here, a TV theme kinda feel there, some guitarwork that’d make post-glam Rogaine-users nostalgic, all tied together by obviously talented musicians and a distinctive vocal intonation I can’t quite place. At times kinda Bracket, at others, ahem, slightly Screaming Jets, but honestly individual unto itself. (I’m grasping at straws for reference points, you understand.) Part jellybean, part prog rock, part punkpop anthem, The Other deserves their name. With former members of the “almost legendary” punk band RKL, recently losing a guitarist to Lagwagon, and being produced (yet not at all overproduced) by Ryan Greene, it’s inspiring to see just how rock punk rock can still be.
(www.honestdons.com)